Here is the situation: I am in a migration from windows 2000 domain Exchange 2000 server from 2003 domain et Exchange 2007. I have VMware now, so I installed a 2003 DC in VM. Transfered all the rôles to it, and the I used VMware **** to push my physical server (Exchange 2000 + DC 2000) to a VM machine. The purpose of that is that I could re-install Windows 2003 on the physical machine while Exchange is still working. Of course, the transfer did not work as expected, and now the replication is no longer working. I did change a lot of thing on this server so that it works correctly, but I still have some issue with the replication. (2 DC in 2000 and 1 in 2003)

So my question is, can I demote this server while Exchange is still running? Maybe if I stop the services first ?

I removed the server as the DNS everywhere, and I don't need this DC anymore. I m only afraid that Exchange will stop working if I demote the server !

This morning, I had to change a password for a user, I changed it on 2 other DC (not from the Exchange one), the user could log in, but Outlook asked for a username and password. I had to change the password on the active directory from Exchange server too. That means Exchange only refers to it own DC !

So, should I install Exchange 2007 first, do the transition so that all my mailboxes and public folders are transfered, while I know this new Exchange works, demote my other server ? Or I could also demote my current exchange server from the domain first to be sure I don't have any DC issue ??

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The fact is that I have read somewhere that I shouldn't install Exchange 2007 on a domain with DC 2000 active ! So I wanted to demote both of my 2000 DC server. But I have also read that I shouldn't demote a domain controller with Exchange installed on it !!

You must make sure that the Domain Controller that is the schema master in your Active Directory runs Windows Server 2003 with at least Service Pack 1 applied. This is also true for any Global Catalog servers in each Active Directory site in which you plan on deploying Exchange 2007. Actually I recommend you run Windows Server 2003 with at least Service Pack 1 applied on all Domain Controllers in the Active Directory Forest.

And I have read here in MSExchange that I should remove Exchange of my 2000 DC before I can demote it ! But I cannot uninstall my Exchange 2000 before I do the transition to Exchange 2007 !!!

I m planning on converting my Exchange 2000 to Native mode (as it is in mixed mode right now), and then start the Exchange 2007 installation... but I don't want to run into problems. That is why I m a bit concern about this guy saying that he recommend that all my Dc are in 2003 SP1 !!